


Welcome to the Darkness

by Nefertiti_22002



Category: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (TV), Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - Susanna Clarke
Genre: M/M, Threesome Oral sex Anal sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-22
Updated: 2015-12-22
Packaged: 2018-05-08 10:58:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5494679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nefertiti_22002/pseuds/Nefertiti_22002
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for a kinkmeme prompt asking for Strange and Norrell to pleasure Childermass in front of the fire in the library. This takes place when Strange and Norrell have been in the Darkness for two weeks and have become a couple. A very unexpected ring at the door leads to an awkward situation when Norrell's former lover shows up. Norrell finds the obvious solution.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Welcome to the Darkness

One evening Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell were seated on the large sopha in front of a roaring fire in the library at Hurtfew. They were cuddling and drinking madeira-wine to celebrate the end of both their second week in the Darkness and the first week of their new intimacy. Occasionally they kissed lingeringly, anticipating the pleasure they would soon exchange.

Suddenly the doorbell rang. 

The two quickly sat up straight and stared at each other in bafflement and not a little fear.

“Who in the world …?” said Jonathan.

“Perhaps some curious neighbor who has got up the courage to enter the Darkness and find out what has happened to us?” Norrell said nervously.

“Or perhaps some denizen of Faerie come to impose some unknown horror on us,” replied Jonathan, equally nervously.

The two went out to the front door. Jonathan was holding the fireplace poker and hid to the side, where the door would conceal him once opened. Norrell prepared to open it, frantically trying to remember an appropriate spell to freeze their visitor in place if necessary. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door. Jonathan saw a look of horror come over his face and raised the poker.

“Oh, my God! Childermass!” Norrell said. Jonathan lowered the poker, shocked. Before he could reveal his presence, Childermass moved inside and embraced Norrell, kissing him hard. Startled, Norrell soon threw his arms around the man and kissed him back. 

Strange came out from behind the door and watched the two with a slight frown. They sprang apart.

Childermass looked back and forth between the other two, and a huge, crooked grin spread across his face. 

“You’re alive, sir! And you, Mr Strange as well! I had been so worried that one of you might have killed the other, or perhaps Lascelles would have killed Mr Strange. I wouldn’t put it past him. I have been busy with other things, but I finally had to pluck up my courage and go into this tower of night so that I could find out what happened.”

The two were glancing nervously at each other and back at him.

Norrell said in alarm, “But Childermass, you shouldn’t have come! You don’t know what has happened!”

Childermass surveyed the two of them. “Oh, I have a fair idea. But you needn’t worry. I don’t—ˮ

Strange chimed in, “Oh, but we have every reason to worry! You don’t understand! It’s the conditions under which we are forced to live in this Darkness.”

Childermass nodded sympathetically. “I do understand. In such a situation two men trapped alone would turn to—“

Norrell cried, “No, no, you don’t understand. There is no one we can turn to!”

Childermass shrugged. “No one but each other, and it’s only natural—ˮ

“Yes, and Jonathan and I can’t leave each other! We simply can’t!”

Childermass said soothingly, “I’m not asking you to. I realise—ˮ

Strange tried to explain. “We were trapped here in the Darkness and—ˮ

Childermass sighed resignedly. “And you offered some comfort to each other and one thing led to another—”

Norrell paused, looking at him in bafflement. “Childermass, what are you talking about?”

“I’m trying to tell you that I’m not jealous! Well, a little, but still, I’ve no right to complain, and I’ve known for years that you love Mr Strange. What I came for was to find out if you were alive and safe. Well, and if you were alive, to find out why you sent me a way in favour of Mr Lascelles. That has been bothering me mightily. But seeing how things are, after we talk for a while, I can leave. I hope you won’t mind my visiting occasionally. Or if you want to re-hire me, sir, well, I don’t fancy working in perpetual night, but I probably could deal with it as long as I could go out to my lodgings and be in the sunshine. It would be wonderful to be back in the library again and to work with you.”

Norrell glanced at Strange and then back. “I suspect there is no doubt that you could go back to working in the library, one way or another. Childermass, a Fairy cast this Darkness as part of a curse he put upon Mr Strange. He cannot leave it. It follows him everywhere. I myself became trapped in it shortly … shortly after you departed. Mr Strange and I are bound together by more than love. If we go a certain distance apart, one of us is whisked back instantly to the other.”

Strange explained further, “As Gilbert sees it, the problem seems to be that the Fairy simply cast the curse on “the English magician,” and as he so rightly points out, precision in spell-casting is vital. He, too, became trapped in the Darkness, and now what we are worried about is that you may be trapped as well.”

Norrell nodded. “Exactly. Childermass, you do know some magic and now many would say that you are a real magician and practitioner of its English variety. So you see why we are worried.”

Childermass nodded thoughtfully.

Norrell continued, wringing his hands, “Obviously our first priority must be to test our suspicion about this. You should try to leave the Darkness. We will remain here. After you get to a certain distance, which we suspect is the edge of the Darkness itself, you may sense a rather dizzying bout of magic and find yourself in our company again, here. If you are able to leave, all is well, and you can come back for that talk. And if you can’t … well, we will have plenty of time for conversation.”

Childermass looked uncharacteristically pale as he shook hands with both of them. “Well, gentlemen, if I am able to leave the Darkness, I suppose I would be safe enough coming back another day to talk and then later perhaps to work. If not, well, I shall see you shortly.”

Childermass turned to go but paused and looked back rather shame-facedly at Strange. “I’m sorry about that kiss, sir, but I was that worried about him. I’m glad to find you both looking so well.”

Norrell was glancing between them uncertainly.

Strange replied somewhat stiffly, “No need to apologise, my dear fellow. I would feel the same way in your shoes.”

“Yes, sir, but it’s you he loves, and now you’ve been together for a while, and well …”

He shrugged and, picking up the lamp he had brought with him, and strode away toward the front gate. Strange and Norrell waited in the entrance hall. Norrell sidled over to Strange. 

“I hope you don’t mind that I kissed Childermass. I was glad to see him, too, and …”

Strange put an arm around Norrell’s shoulders. “Gilbert, I really was not upset. He’s an ex-lover of yours, and of course, under the circumstances you were both relieved to see each other. And he’s an attractive fellow, after all.”

“Do you think so?” Norrell looked rather intrigued and stood staring into space abstractedly.

About four minutes later, the air in the hall slithered around itself, and Childermass was back with them. They all stared at each other. 

Norrell sighed. “Come in and sit by the fire and we’ll tell you all about it.”

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Over glasses of madeira-wine, all three sat on the sopha.

Norrell began, “Childermass, I owe you a great apology. You asked why I sent you away. Well …”

Strange chimed in, “That interfering bastard Lascelles was largely to blame, and I doubt you’ll be surprised to hear that. He told Gilbert that you and I had become lovers after that time when he sent you to nose around and find out something about my book.”

Childermass gritted his teeth. “That devil! Where is he, anyway? I’d like to rip his guts out!”

Norrell replied, “We don’t know. He just disappeared that night, shortly before I got into the library. We’ve searched the house, but he’s simply not here.”

“Probably fled the moment you weren’t there to protect him, the coward. Well, if he escaped, we’re well rid of him.”

Norrell looked into his eyes. “I can’t entirely blame him. I believed him. I believed him for all too long. I’m terribly sorry.”

Childermass nodded. “Well, you know better now. I accept your apology. Now, explain to me this confounded Darkness.”

So the two magicians told Childermass the story of the Fairy’s resurrection of Lady Pole, his devious abduction of Arabella Strange, the curse that followed and their epic series of spells that freed the two ladies and apparently killed the Fairy.

“So, we are left alone in the Darkness,” concluded Norrell.

“We’re managing rather well here, considering,” Strange concluded.

“Yes, in some ways a comfortable life,” said Childermass, looking around. “Each trapped with the man you love. Leaving me as odd man out. I suppose I can cope with that. I would just ask you both one thing. Please, no displays of affection in front of me. I shall refrain from any further ones myself.”

Norrell and Strange, who had been holding hands, hastily withdrew them and placed them in their own laps.

A short, rather fraught silence ensued, with all three staring into the fire and avoiding each other’s eyes.

Norrell finally burst out, “This is such an unsatisfactory arrangement. Poor Childermass! Really, I wish I could have you both!”

A second, distinctly more fraught silence followed. 

Eventually Childermass shrugged and looked casually across Norrell, who was sitting in the middle, at Strange. “Well, that would solve our problem,” he said with a quizzical look.

Strange stared at both in turn, a surprised and puzzled look on his face. “I don’t quite understand. Let me get this straight. Would this be us taking turns with you, Gilbert, or more a sort of mixture of all three?”

Norrell responded without hesitation, “Oh, either would be quite agreeable to me!”

Childermass laughed. “Well, of course it would! Either way, you would be having twice the pleasure. No, I think if we’re going to do something of the sort, we should all be in on it. All three of us would be lovers, to put it plainly. And all three of us would do things together. Not every time. On some occasions it could be two—any two, Mr Norrell included or not—but on others, all three.”

Strange replied slowly, “Well, I find it rather odd to be entering into such an agreement with someone whom I like but do not really know very well.”

Childermass said, “You knew me well enough to offer to take me in as a partner in magic. You’re an attractive man, there’s no denying that. If you like the looks of me, and some do, then we can give it a try. I expect we’ll turn out to enjoy each other, and if for some reason we don’t, well, then we’ll just agree to take turns with Mr Norrell, I suppose. I warrant that would please him well enough. You’ve probably discovered by now what a randy fellow he is!”

Norrell did not dignify this remark with a comment, since it was the simple truth. Besides, he had been thinking about how wonderful it would be to have both of these beautiful, well-endowed men for himself. In fact, he was thinking about how wonderful it would be to have both of these beautiful, well-endowed men right now.

Breathing a little heavily, he said to Strange, “I propose that we welcome Childermass into the Darkness in the most pleasant way possible.”

He leaned over and whispered something into Strange’s ear. 

Strange’s eyebrows went up. “Well, that would certainly be a way to get to know him very intimately in a short time. And what would you be doing during this?”

“Oh, I’ll start with some kissing, as usual, and then see how things develop. I don’t mind, as long as I get thoroughly buggered by one of you in the course of it all.” He shifted anxiously against the sopha cushions at the very thought. “Or both,” he added in a burst of optimism.

They all paused, not sure who should start. Finally Strange kissed Norrell and then Norrell turned and kissed Childermass. 

Then Strange and Childermass hesitated, looking at each other in slight embarrassment, and then simultaneously both leaned across in front of Norrell and kissed each other.

Strange got up, moving to stand in front of Childermass. Norrell rose up on his knees and leaned against Childermass. “Jonathan is going to show you something I taught him recently. He hasn’t had much practice, but he’s already very good at it.” 

Norrell handed Strange a sopha cushion, which he put on the floor between Childermass’ spread legs. With a sigh of anticipation, Childermass slumped down slightly and embraced Norrell. They began to kiss, quickly invading each other’s mouths with swirling, exploring tongues. They paused to look down at Strange, who had unbuttoned Childermass’ placket and drawn his smallclothes down until his half-hard erection emerged, lying at a slant up against his abdomen. 

Strange grasped the shaft, pumping it slowly as his tongue wandered up, down and around. Norrell watched for a moment, panting, before pushing his mouth against Childermass’, opening it wide and thrusting his tongue in as deep as he could. Childermass moaned and reaching out with the arm that was not around Norrell to gently comb his fingers through Strange’s curls. 

Norrell pulled away to breathe and slid his tongue across Childermass’ cheek until it could delve into his ear, licking and poking as the man gasped in response. By now Strange was kissing Childermass’ cock, his mouth open, his lips grasping at the silky skin, his tongue wetting it thoroughly. 

Norrell looked down again, unbuttoning Childermass’ vest and shirt as he watched Strange. He spread them wide to expose the man’s chest. He hummed slightly with arousal and leaned down to run his tongue over the brown areolas of Childermass’ nipples, one after the other. As the little nubs hardened, he sucked on them eagerly.

Watching them both, Childermass keened softly. He licked one of his fingers and reached behind Norrell to slide it inside his breeches and smallclothes and finally down the cleft between his buttocks, tickling the tiny puckered entrance. “Yes, yes,” Norrell murmured against his chest before returning to suck on Childermass’ nipples. He shifted slightly so that he could rub his growing erection against Childermass’ hip.

By now the pair’s efforts had rendered Childermass rock-hard, and his groans signaled his mounting need. Strange managed to get his lips down over the tip of the member and a little beyond and then set to sucking it as he pumped the shaft harder. Childermass gritted his teeth and grimaced as he neared completion and then laid his head back against the sopha as his release hit him and his seed spurted into Strange’s mouth. Strange struggled a little but managed to swallow most of it, continuing to squeeze and stroke the shaft until Childermass’ body relaxed and he panted slowly and deeply.

His cock slipped from Strange’s mouth, leaving a small dribble of his seed on Strange’s lips and chin. Norrell saw this and gave a little squeak of arousal. He thrust against Childermass, who pulled his hand out of Norrell’s breeches and pushed himself to a more upright position. 

Childermass soon recovered himself sufficiently to be able to speak. “I think Gilbert needs a little attention. If you’re hard enough to enter him.” He looked at the distinct bulge in Strange’s breeches-front.

“Perhaps not entirely, but I’m sure I soon will be,” Strange said with a grin. He pulled Norrell up and leaned over for a long, wet kiss. Childermass massaged Norrell’s erection through the cloth. Norrell whimpered at their combined attentions.

“Oh, he’s ready, and I’m sure you know what he wants,” Childermass said. “We just need to prepare him. Do you have anything …?”

Strange stood up and opened a small drawer in the side table by the sopha. He removed a jar of salve and opened it. In the meantime, Childermass guided Norrell to straddle his thighs. This put the seat of his breeches on a level with Strange’s crotch. Strange undid his own breeches and pulled out his large purple cock, moving forward until he was positioned to enter Norrell. 

Norrell and Childermass had resumed kissing, and Childermass groped until he found the buttons to Norrell’s breeches, undoing them quickly. From behind, Strange tugged the breeches and smallclothes down. Norrell’s spread legs prevented them from going any further than his upper thighs. It was enough to allow Strange the access he needed, however, and his fingers spread a large dollop of the salve over Norrell’s hole and rubbed it before the tip of one slipped inside.

Childermass reached down and placed his fingers under the shaft of Norrell’s erection. He did not grasp it this soon but stroked its underside with a feathery touch, watching Norrell’s delighted face so close to his own.

When Strange’s finger reached his pleasure point, Norrell’s face twisted in ecstasy, and he uttered a tiny grunt with each exhalation. Strange continued to massage the little gland. Soon Childermass looked at Strange and shook his head, mouthing “stop” at him. Strange withdrew his fingers slightly and concentrated on circling and pulling on the rim of Norrell’s hole until it was sufficiently relaxed.

Quickly coating his cock with the salve, Strange cautiously pushed in. Despite the preparation, the ring of flesh resisted, and he gently rocked his hips so that the tip of his erection slowly stretched the entrance and slipped inside. There was a pause, and Norrell whispered, “More!”

Childermass caressed Norrell’s cheek. As Strange began to thrust gradually further and further inside, Norrell gasped and again began to groan with the intensity of the pressure on his sensitive spot. Eventually Strange was half buried in him, and he began to thrust, his hands cupping Norrell’s buttocks and digging into them.

They fell into a regular rhythm then, and for a time there were only the slight, wet sounds of Strange moving in and out of the moist channel and Norrell whimpering.

Eventually Norrell began to gasp and strain slightly toward his fulfillment. Childermass was trying to signal Strange to speed up, but he already knew what Norrell needed. Strange thrust harder and faster, feeling his own climax hovering tantalizingly close. 

Childermass tightened his fingers and frigged Norrell, still watching his expression. He looked at Strange. “I never saw his face when we did this.” He shook his head with a fond smile. “So completely … abandoned to it.” Norrell was far beyond being able to notice this.

Strange managed to smile at Childermass. Then he thrust even harder for a few strokes, and Norrell cried out as his balls clenched and sent his seed spattering over Childermass’ chest and stomach. His tightening hole drove Strange over into bliss, and his groans began as Norrell’s slowly subsided.

They stayed motionless for a time, with Norrell limply draped along Childermass’ body, Childermass continuing to caress his face and Strange watching them both until he had to grasp a cloth to clean himself and Norrell as his erection dwindled and came out. He handed the cloth to Childermass and collapsed onto the sopha. 

Childermass reached down and pulled Norrell’s breeches up before helping him to pivot and sit once more between the two taller men. He used the cloth to remove Norrell’s seed from his torso and to dab at the drops that had reached his vest. 

A companionable silence fell between them for a time. Strange reflected on the fact that he was already felt comfortable with being so intimate with Childermass and had fallen naturally into thinking of the three of them as all being lovers. He found that he did not feel jealous of Childermass, probably because they could so easily share their delight in Norrell. In time they would learn more about each other and become even closer.

Finally Childermass grinned and said, “I must say, I do feel quite satisfactorily welcomed. I hope it did not seem too odd and uncomfortable to you, Jonathan—if I may.”

“Of course. No, once we got started, not at all. I think I shall be entirely used to it in a very short time.” He reached his hand across, and Childermass grasped it and squeezed it.

Norrell sighed contentedly. “I’m used to it already.”

Childermass chuckled. “Well, not surprising, since you’ve been fucked by both of us before. Speaking of which, you suggested that you wanted that from both him and me tonight. In a little while, maybe … but right now …”

“Oh, upon reflection, I think once was enough for tonight. I just remembered that Jonathan and I had quite a lively time here this afternoon. By the way, have you had your supper?”

“Yes, I ate before I walked out from the village. I did not ride Brewer, since the Darkness seemed to spook him—as well it might. I’m glad I didn’t, since now I can’t take care of him. I left Mr Segundus in charge of him and of Vinculus. I hope he is able to manage both of them, poor fellow. But surely the other magicians of the York society can help him.”

“Vinculus!” Norrell exclaimed.

Childermass sighed lazily. “Yes, but that is a long story. Let me tell it to you both in the morning.”

The three rose, banked the fire and went out into the hallway. 

Childermass asked, “Where should we sleep? Should we start off with all of us together? Is there a bed big enough?” He looked toward the stairs. “I’ve never slept with him here in Hurtfew,” he explained to Strange. “Believe it or not, we didn’t … ‘become intimate,’ as Gilbert would say, until we went to London. So I’ve barely glimpsed his bed here.”

As they started up the stairs, Strange replied, “I think it will fit three. One of us might fall out occasionally, but that’s a minor inconvenience.”

Norrell said immediately, “I want to be in the middle.”

Childermass chuckled and kissed his cheek. “Of course, you can be in the middle. That way you will not fall out of bed, but if we both were to roll over onto you, you might get squashed.” 

Norrell laughed as he looked up at Childermass. Strange could tell that even if Norrell was not in love with Childermass, he was extremely fond of the man.

Once they reached the bedroom, Norrell went into the small closet and dressing room that opened off it and got into his night shirt, trousers and cap. In what was clearly by now an established routine, Strange went in to help him with the many buttons. Childermass had been about to do the same, but he knew that he had to take care to allow the couple such moments apart from him. As he undressed by the bed, he watched the pair through the doorway. 

“Jesus, you still wear those things!” he called with a grin.

Strange smiled, “He is subject to feeling the cold, as you no doubt recall. And anyway, I find them charming.”

Childermass replied, “Now that you mention it, I do, too.” He added teasingly, “But Gilbert, don’t all these togs make it difficult for us to, um, get to you if one of us has an urge, or you do?”

Norrell came back into the bedroom proper and stood before him. “Childermass, it’s very simple. As Jonathan pointed out to me, if you unbutton this part here,” he pointed and then twisted around, “and this here, or both, you have access to the crucial areas that would be involved.”

Childermass and Strange smiled at each other.

Norrell noticed this and added, “Or I suppose I could simply take them off entirely and put them on again afterwards, if someone would help me with the buttons—and keep me warm during our activities.” He climbed into bed and lay in the exact center, looking back and forth between them with a delighted, slightly smug smile.

Strange commented as he and Childermass took their places on either side of him, “With the two of us here, you are not likely to be cold.”

“True indeed,” Norrell said happily.

Kisses were exchanged all round, with some repeats, and the three settled down. Childermass blew out the candle by the bed, although a lamp on the mantelpiece was left to burn through the night.

After a short silence Norrell said, “Would one of you mind—ˮ

“Oh, for Christ’s sake! You see, I told you, Mr Strange!”

Strange stifled his laughter as he said, “Please, Gilbert! Surely you can wait until tomorrow. You have worn us out. And we thought we had done the same for you.”

Norrell sighed, thinking that it was very nice to be teased by two such bedmates. “I just wanted one of you to scratch my back. Right between the shoulder blades, please.” He sat up.

Childermass laughed and obliged him. “You do have a lot of itches, don’t you?”


End file.
